Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to irrigation control and, more particularly, to a system and method for optimizing evapotranspiration (ET) irrigation control.
Description of Related Art
Currently, irrigation schedules are determined based upon evapotranspiration (ET) data or soil moisture-based monitoring. ET data is readily available, e.g., online via the Internet, from any number of state and/or federal agencies in the U.S., or academic institutions such as universities. ET data is determined from real-time data or historical data regarding an amount of water (e.g., inches) required to make up a watering deficit. In contrast, soil moisture-based monitoring relies on actual measurements of an amount of moisture in the soil at various depths.
Prior art methodologies for irrigation scheduling are discussed in Reclamation: Managing Water in the West: Weather and Soil Moisture Based Landscape Irrigation Scheduling: Technical Review Report—2nd Edition, August 2007, published by the U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Lower Colorado Region, Southern California Area Office.
It is desirable to provide more accurate irrigation models to conserve water and related costs, while maximizing vegetation growth and quality.